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President Muhammadu Buhari

Plans to incapacitate Igbos economically, militarize South East unveiled Leading Reporters

Plans to incapacitate Igbos economically, militarize South East unveiled: El-Rufai, Kwakwanso, FFK to lead anti-Igbo crusade

by Leading Reporters May 28, 2023

written by Leading Reporters

The 2023 general election has come and gone, but the dust it raised will last a time. A close source of the President-Elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu has hinted at an impending plan by the Tinubu-Shettima-led APC government to decimate and incapacitate Igbos economically.

Part of the plan is to review and revoke many Certificates of Occupancies traceable to Igbos as well as demolish and relocate markets hitherto dominated by the Igbos. Abuja, Lagos, and Kano fall within the first phase of the project of this anti-Igbo campaign.

Nyesom Wike would be used as a strong anti-Igbo force in the South-South region, the source hinted.

Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, Kwakwanso of Kano State, Lagos State Governor Sanwo Olu, Femi Fani Kayode FFK and Barrister Festus Keyamo have been ‘mobilized’ to lead the anti-Igbo economic warfare. They will hit the ground running immediately after the inauguration. Aside from the anti-Igbo economic warfare, there are plans to militarize the South East Geopolitical Zone.

“The military would be massively detailed to Southeast to ensure that Igbos are suppressed, with a special target at the youths who they believe would mount a resistance through series of protest and a regional campaign for self-determination”.

Part of the plan is to woo the media as partners-in-the-game. FFK would be in charge of managing the media and strategic media campaign that would see most media house either aligning with the government or having their stations constantly subjected to paying fine. Few stations have been marked for total revocation of their licenses.

“Tinubu has already planned and voted billions of Naira to woo the media. They are already identifying willing media partners who will suppress dissenting voices. The media would be so controlled that anti-government remarks may earn instant closure or outrightly withdrawal of the operating licenses of media houses seen as not being part of the government.

“Currently, FFK is calling and reaching out to many pressmen from the Southern part of Nigeria. Part of his job would be to lobby, finance and coerce the press into either looking away in silence or aligning with the -government’s anti-Igbo policies.

Another group stationed in Europe and America would serve as a lobby group for the government. Their jobs would entail disrupting information and presenting it before the Western world as the collective desire of the people.

The source worries that since the fall of Libya, Nigeria has been targeted under a scheme called “expendable”.

Recall that the anti-Igbo campaign greeted the last election where Igbos were profiled, humiliated and thoroughly disfranchised in Lagos. It was stated that the humiliation the President-Elect suffered in the last general election in Lagos State (considered his strongest hold) would not go unpunished. Recall that Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu lost his stronghold Lagos to Mr. Peter Obi, a feat Tinubu was said to have vowed would be utterly altered.

Part of the plan is to ensure that Igbos are demoralized into participating in political activities, following their recent political reawakening which saw the President-Elect losing in their entire South East, and most states in South-South. Aside from winning the Federal Capital Territory, Peter Obi is believed to have massively won in North Central States like Plateau, Benue, and Nasarawa.

The thematic objective of the exercise, according to the source is to box Igbos to a corner where they would recoil politically and rendered economically unstable.

May 28, 2023 0 comments

Nigeria doesn’t need government of national unity

by Leading Reporters March 19, 2023

written by Leading Reporters

By Tonnie Iredia

Between Saturday, February 25, 2023 when the presidential and national assembly elections were held in Nigeria and today, the mass media have been replete with calls for the next president to compose a government of national unity (GNU).

The argument is that such a strategy could calm frayed nerves and create some measure of unity between winners and losers of elections. However, an overview of elections in Nigeria does not reveal the commitment of our politicians to national unity.

What history seems to attribute to them is the propensity to always get into one office or the other only to perpetrate their hobby of primitive appropriation and accumulation of public funds. In which case, the call for unity government which is usually instigated by the political class is essentially to keep on course opportunities for their personal gains.

For example, in 2003, when General Muhammadu Buhari the then presidential candidate of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party ANPP was at the middle of an election petition to claim his mandate, officials of his party were scrambling to share the few positions allocated to their party in the government of national unity instituted by the victorious PDP.

The greedy officials neither put their presidential candidate into confidence nor did they follow the guidelines of the party for aligning with another party. The decision to be part of the so-called unity government was made by the party officials whose basic motivation was the material benefit they looked forward to from the arrangement.

In 2007, many of those who accused President Olusegun Obasanjo of a third term ambition were leading politicians from outside the PDP who had hoped that the third term government would be that of national unity that would include them. In 2011, opposition parties didn’t show much interest in Goodluck Jonathan’s proposed unity government but ample background work was done concerning the idea.

One of the pillars of democracy is majority rule. Consequently, good democrats have no business in a government formed by a political party to which they do not belong. Except a political system provides for proportional representation in which seats in the legislature are awarded to political parties in proportion to their strength in an election, government of national unity is unnecessary.

It is only in Nigeria where politicians seek to function as permanent state actors that those who lost elections always agitate for a government of national unity. After 24 years of continuous democratic rule, it is time for Nigerian politicians to grow up and allow the majority party to form a government which should be placed on its toes by a viable opposition. Otherwise, we shall continue to have a pseudo-democracy in which everyone bows to a ruling party so as to be appointed into some government position. It is for the same reason that the 9th national assembly under the guise of collaborative federalism functioned all through from the pocket of the executive.

Luckily for our commercial politicians, the so-called victorious parties are always favourably disposed to the institution of a government of national unity because the acclaimed winners feel the way out is to placate owners of stolen mandate. Indeed, in many constituencies in the past, votes were swapped to make losers become winners while in some other locations, election results were simply procured for polling booths where voting did not happen.

Following the failure to put a halt to election rigging, it will certainly be difficult to stop the agitation for government of national unity. It is true that smooth talkers who can fluently defend our bogus elections abound in the nation but such partisan orators often look at election rigging from a narrow perspective.

Those who give pass marks to INEC and the election process often focus on the pictorial display of election materials arriving in different states in the country; orderly queuing and ballot casting in voting centres and the beautifully adorned conference centre where results are cosmetically finalized.

If the truth must be told, Nigerian elections have not been good. Our people should not allow themselves to be misled by the diplomatically coated reports of international election monitors and observers. What should always be noted is the unending caution which the same observers always put in an idiom that “the devil of Nigeria’s elections is in the details.”

What this idiom means is that Nigerian elections look simple on the surface but the details are usually convoluted and problematic. Our elections are likely to remain knotty if we continue to overlook the fraudulent details of the collation of results that are hurriedly declared with fanfare. Of course if the right process is followed, we could easily move one step away from incessant and selfish calls for government of national unity after every election. Such a trend would ensure good elections which are more likely to produce visionary leaders that would initiate and implement good public policies capable of improving the living standards of the people

The point that is being made is that what can best unite a given society is good governance and not the struggle for power by politicians. This presupposes that those declared winners of elections must be prepared to bring on board only persons who can add value to governance. Whereas a new president is free to appoint some of his supporters into his government, such appointees must first and foremost be visibly capable of doing the job.

Critical offices ought not to be used just for rewarding party supporters. A new president or governor must remember that many people who voted for them are not necessarily members of their party. In other words, being a member of the victorious party should essentially serve as an added advantage for appointing people. Governance is a tough task that requires the best hands, otherwise success may be hard to achieve.

In the case of heterogeneous societies such as Nigeria, the old order of emphasis on state of origin should change to a clear understanding of the expedience of good management of diverse cultures. One reason Nigeria wins more awards in sports than governance is because only the very best find their way into our sports teams while everyone no matter their visible deficiencies get into our governance teams. Today, Nigeria does not have a state which lacks strong hands, why not bring into government the best hands of every state as a double advantage that reduces the cry of marginalization and enhances the quality performance of officials? Nothing else can engender unity more than such an inclusive approach to governance which was in the first instance the framework which the federal principle in our constitution was designed to achieve.

Nigeria had in the 1970s worked assiduously towards national unity by formulating strategic policies such as the National Youth Service Corps programme. Until quite recently, the NYSC served as tool for national unity and integration. But like many Nigerian policies, most of the lofty ideas of its founders have been greatly diluted.

The federal character principle on its part has been politicised and poorly managed. In fact, the commission which was set up to ensure the smooth implementation of the principle by other societal institutions has itself been found wanting in upholding the same principle. This is where elected leaders should pay greater attention to because what the nation desires is unity among its disparate groups and not the class unity which the politicians harp upon.

In summary, Nigeria is in dire need of national development which can only be attained through the instrumentality of visionary leaders that are freely elected by voters. For this to happen, ruling parties must stop appointing partisan officials into INEC that is supposed to be an impartial umpire.

The electoral process must be credible and not the charade we watched on national television during yesterday’s governorship and houses of assembly elections in well-known volatile areas like Lagos. Painfully, the credibility of our security agencies who had earlier read riot acts while claiming to be battle ready to stop all disruptions was rubbished. If this culture of electoral malpractices continues, government of national unity as a damage control strategy cannot help Nigeria to grow.

March 19, 2023

March 19, 2023 0 comments

Leading Reporters Six States Ask Supreme Court To Cancel Presidential Election Image

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Supreme Court to abrogate presidential election

by Leading Reporters March 3, 2023

written by Leading Reporters

Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Sokoto states have dragged the Federal Government before the Supreme Court over the conduct of the February 25, 2023 presidential and National Assembly elections.

The suit filed by the Attorneys General of the six states has the Attorney General of the Federation as sole respondent.

The plaintiffs on February 28 predicated their case on the grounds that, “The collation of the national election results from the 36 states of the Federation, and that of the Federal Capital Territory, for the said 2023 presidential and National Assembly elections have not been carried out in compliance with the mandatory provisions of relevant sections of the Electoral Act, 2022; the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022, made pursuant to the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022; and the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023.”

In the suit filed by their lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, the states said the agents and officials of the Federal Government and INEC failed to transmit the collated result as prescribed by the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022; the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2022; and the INEC Manual for Election Officials requiring transmission of the results by the use of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System in flagrant breach of the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022; the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023.

They stated that, “non-compliance with the due process of law has led to a widespread agitation, violent protests, displeasure, and disapproval from a wide spectrum of the Nigerian populace, including international observers, political parties, well-meaning Nigerians and former Head of States of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

The plaintiffs argued that the federal government through INEC, “is empowered by law to correct the elections due to technical glitches and errors arising from the conduct of the elections with substantial effect on the electoral process in line with the provisions of Section 47 (3) of the Electoral Act, 2022; and other relevant sections thereof.

“Whilst queries were being raised as to the failure or deliberate refusal of INEC to transmit the results electronically, INEC suddenly pulled down its portal harbouring the Regulations and Guidelines, thus leaving the plaintiffs in the dark

“Most Nigerians, including the governments and peoples of Adamawa State, Akwa Ibom State, Bayelsa State, Delta State, Edo State, and Sokoto State, are entitled to a proper and electoral lawful process and procedure that guarantees a free, fair, transparent and credible election”.

Amongst the issues raised for determination by the apex court were: Whether having regard to the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, governing the 2023 nationwide general elections, particularly paragraphs 38 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and paragraphs 2.8.4; 2.9.0; and 2.9.1 of the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023 thereof, the electronic transmission of votes collated at polling units and the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in the transmission of collated result is made mandatory.

“Whether the Federal Government of Nigeria through presiding officers of its executive body, Independent National Electoral Commission was bound to electronically transmit or transfer Polling Unit Results in Form EC8A using BVAS by uploading Scanned Copy of the said Unit Results to the Independent National Electoral Commission Result Viewing Portal (IReV) in the course of the General Elections held on the 25th of February, 2023 throughout the Federation.

“Whether the Federal Government of Nigeria in the recently held Presidential and National Assembly elections conducted nationwide on 25th February, 2023 through INEC, complied with the mandatory provisions of extant laws, INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Presidential Elections, 2022″.

“Whether the failure of the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Defendant and INEC to electronically transmit or transfer Polling Unit Results in Form EC8A using BVAS by uploading Scanned Copy of the said Unit Result to the Independent National Electoral Commission Result Viewing Portal (IReV) after the counting and announcement of the Polling Units results on 25th of February, 2023, violates the provisions of Sections 25; 47(2); 60 (1), (2), (4) & (5); 62; 64(4)(a) & (b); 70; and 148 of the Electoral Act, 2022, governing the 2023 nationwide general elections, particularly paragraphs 38 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and paragraphs 2.8.4; 2.9.0; and 2.9.1 of the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023, for the conduct of the presidential election.

“Whether the failure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria through INEC to comply with the provisions of Section 60 of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the Regulations and Guidelines for Conduct of Elections, 2022 made pursuant to the Electoral Act and the Constitution of the FRN, 1999, as amended, in collating and announcing the results of the Presidential and National Assembly Elections render the already announced results and the elections conducted as a whole a nullity”.

“Whether the entire results of the presidential election conducted on the 25th of February, 2023, as announced by the Chairman of INEC at the National Collation Centre, Abuja in flagrant provision of Sections 25; 47(2); 60 (1), (2), (4) & (5); 62; 64(4)(a) & (b); 70; and 148 of the Electoral Act, 2022, governing the 2023 nationwide general elections, particularly paragraphs 38 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and paragraphs 2.8.4; 2.9.0; and 2.9.1 of the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023, for the conduct of the Presidential Election, were valid.”

The plaintiffs urged the apex court to declare, “that the Federal Government of Nigeria, through INEC was bound to electronically transmit or transfer Polling Unit Results in Form EC8A using BVAS by uploading Scanned Copy of the said Unit Result to the Independent National Electoral Commission Result Viewing Portal (IReV) in the course of the General Elections held on the 25th of February, 2023 throughout the Federation in compliance with the provision of Sections 25; 47(2); 60 (1), (2), (4) & (5); 62; 64(4)(a) & (b); 70; and 148 of the Electoral Act, 2022, governing the 2023 nationwide general elections, particularly paragraphs 38 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and paragraphs 2.8.4; 2.9.0; and 2.9.1 of the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023, for the conduct of the presidential election.”

They are seeking “A declaration that the entire results of the Presidential Election conducted on the 25th of February, 2023 announced by the Chairman of INEC at the National Collation Centre, Abuja, in flagrant violation of the provisions of Sections 25 of the Electoral Act, 2022, governing the 2023 nationwide general elections, particularly paragraphs 38 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and paragraphs 2.8.4; 2.9.0; and 2.9.1 of the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023, for the conduct of the Presidential Election, were invalid, null and void, and of no effect whatsoever.

“A declaration that the fundamentally flawed electoral process through the non-uploading of the results of each of the 176,974 Polling Units nationwide, in respect of the presidential election and National Assembly Elections held on Saturday, 25th February 2023 were not in accordance with the provisions of Sections 25; 47(2); 60 (1), (2), (4) & (5); 62; 64(4)(a) & (b); 70; and 148 of the Electoral Act, 2022, governing the 2023 nationwide general elections, particularly paragraphs 38 of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022; and paragraphs 2.8.4; 2.9.0; and 2.9.1 of the INEC Manual for Election Officials, 2023, for the conduct of the presidential election.

“The plaintiffs also brought an application praying the apex court for an order directing a departure from the rules of the apex court in the interest of justice by directing for accelerated hearing of the substantive suit. Besides, plaintiffs also filed another application seeking for an order for abridging time for parties to file and serve responses for and against the suit. No date has been fixed for hearing.

March 3, 2023 0 comments

Leading Reporters You voted for a better Nigeria, Tinubu tells Nigerians. Image

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#ElectionResults: You voted for a better Nigeria, Tinubu tells Nigerians

by Leading Reporters March 1, 2023

written by Leading Reporters

“You voted for a better Nigeria,” an elated Bola Tinubu declared an hour after he was declared the President-Elect of Nigeria by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday morning.

The former Lagos State Governor and presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) also thanked all those who participated in the February 25 election with particular mention of ‘Articulated’, ‘Obidients’, ‘Batified’ and ‘Kwankwasiyya’ supporters for their patriotism.

Full speech below:

I am profoundly humbled that you have elected me to serve as the 16th president of Nigeria. This is a shiny moment of any man and affirmation of our democratic existence. From my heart, I truly say thank you.
Doing cultural greetings will not be able to capture his gratitude. He says he wishes everyone well. Whether you are a position holder or not.
Ibrahim Masari from Katsina is a trustworthy person. A leader, dependable and honest human being.
Whether you are Batified or articulated, Obedient, or Kwanhasia, you voted for a better Nigeria. You decided to place your trust in the democratic vision of a Nigeria funded on a shared basis. Renewed hope has dawned and landed in Nigeria.
I represent and I promise, and with your support, I know that promise will be fulfilled.
I commend INEC for running a credible election, no matter what anyone says.
The lapses that were reported were relatively few in number and irrelevant. With each cycle of elections, we steadily perfect the process of our democratic existence.
We should be proud of this.
Don’t jolt that because you did not win the election.
Be helpful to our integrity, Character and reputation
We have created the biggest democracy as Nigerians.
I thank President for supporting my campaign. He is indeed a true Patriot. I must thank his wife and his entire family for being committed, patriotic, loyal and firm.
I also thank my running mate and vice President-elect- Senator Kashim Shettima, who is also a former governor, who is also from Borno and a strong pillar of support.
I remember Faleke, an elder and committed and dependable.
To the progressive Governors of the party and the party leadership and loyal members, you have the opportunity to betray your party, in spite of the cashless policy, some of you still owe party agents. But despite this, you delivered victory to your Party. There is no way I can ever intentionally let you down. I owe you a debt of gratitude to the entire women’s campaign organisations who polled the highest number of voters.
He officially accepts to be the servant of the country and not the leader. To work and make Nigeria a great country. I take this opportunity to appeal to my fellow contestants to team up together. It is the only nation we have and only one country that we must build together and we must work together to put broken pieces together.
We must not act like an orchestra that has no direction from a conductor. We have elected a conductor, as the President-Elect. Let’s collaborate to make a symphony of progress. We have what it takes and what is needed-knowledge, creativity, the mind, determination. We are the same country performing wonders in other countries, we can do it here. I promise I will work with you to make Nigeria a destination for returning home to contribute to the great country of Nigeria.
The Youths, I hear you loud and clear, whatever the course, we are going to chart the path together. We are going to embark on this journey together, united. No one is too small to be creative. Insha Allah.
We will work together and I will pay undivided attention to your education. We will be creative and provide credits and education loans. Four years course will be four years course and no more strike. Your universities will have the autonomy to upgrade your syllabuses. I know where it pains. And believe me, you will see the reward of your election.

March 1, 2023 0 comments

Leading Reporters Election that produced Tinubu as president flawed, says Buhari

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Buhari: The Election that produced Tinubu as president was flawed

by Leading Reporters March 1, 2023

written by Leading Reporters

“If any candidate believes they can prove the fraud…, then bring forward the evidence.”

President Muhammadu Buhari has admitted the Saturday presidential poll in which former governor of Lagos Bola Tinubu emerged as the winner is flawed.

Mr Buhari also charged Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and Peter Obi of the Labour Party to challenge the outcome of the poll in court if they have proof that the exercise was rigged in Mr Tinubu’s favour.

“That is not to say the exercise (Saturday’s election) was without fault. For instance, there were technical problems with electronic transmission of the results,” said the Nigerian leader. “Of course, there will be areas that need work to bring further transparency and credibility to the voting procedure. However, none of the issues registered represent a challenge to the freeness and fairness of the elections.”

Mr Buhari disclosed this in a statement by his media aide Garba Shehu, congratulating the president-elect.

“I know some politicians and candidates may not agree with this view. That too is fine. If any candidate believes they can prove the fraud they claim is committed against them, then bring forward the evidence,” said Mr Buhari.

“If they cannot, then we must conclude that the election was indeed the people’s will – no matter how hard that may be for the losers to accept. If they feel the need to challenge, please take it to the courts, not to the streets.”

The president’s speech followed INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu’s declaration of Mr Tinubu as the winner of Saturday’s presidential election at the National Collation Centre in Abuja.

Mr Tinubu polled 8,794,726 votes to defeat PDP’s Atiku Abubakar, winning 12 of 36 states of Nigeria. Mr Abubakar polled 6,984,520 votes.

Peter Obi of Labour Party, came third, polling 6,101,533 votes.

The declaration of Mr Tinubu as the president-elect came amidst huge protest by PDP and Labour Party, calling for suspension of result collation and and outright cancellation of the presidential poll due to INEC’s failure to upload election results on its server in real time.

March 1, 2023 0 comments

Headlines Opinion

APC’s dilemma on election eve

by Leading Reporters February 19, 2023

written by Leading Reporters

By Tonnie Iredia

Too many things have since shown that in truth, there is not much difference between our ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its biggest rival, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP). Both parties have a few decent members but majority are political traders. When in power, the two parties behave exactly the same way. To start with, whereas both parties pretend that the welfare of the people matters to them, they do little or nothing to cover the pretence. Whenever an election is approaching, they create scenarios that automatically frustrate a credible contest thereby retaining office while claiming to have come in through the popular will of the people. But events have shown that the strategy has its limits. On its part, the PDP managed to hold-on for 16 years (1999-2007); but whether the APC will last beyond 8 years is becoming doubtful.

In 2015, everyone saw through the gimmicks of the ruling PDP as it struggled to postpone elections to make room for vote buying and other electoral manipulations when it became evident that it no longer enjoyed the confidence of voters. The change propaganda which thereafter brought the then opposition APC to power virtually waned even before its first term ended. First, the party showed its nervousness over the use of the Card Reader – a technological device which made rigging tedious. Hiding under the judicial ruling that the device was unknown to law, the APC made everyone to discountenance the amendment to the Electoral Act in 2015 which had recognised devices like Card Reader. From then on, the party ensured that a fresh amendment to regularize the situation was not signed into law for the 2019 elections. Although the party was declared winner of that year’s elections, some people had doubts that the victory was real following the server controversy that preceded the declaration of results.

Four years later, it has become quite clear that the APC is in trouble especially in its current atomistic state in which it is now at war with itself on a daily basis. Indeed, the party has become the greatest opposition to its own policies and leadership. Evidence that the APC was visibly scared about its chances of reelection in 2023 was mostly seen in its desperation to frustrate efforts at instituting the electronic transmission of election results – which had become a global reality. The attempt to procure officials of the National Communication Commission (NCC) to virtually commit perjury in their testimony before the legislature on the subject of electoral technology was ridiculed by the public. The electorate similarly rejected the legislature’s kangaroo voting against the innovation making it easy for the new Electoral Act 2022 to be passed along with a number of anti-rigging clauses. Apart from a few party members who remained popular in their constituencies, the ruling party has since been on edge moving from one error to another.

The new Electoral Act did well in the steps it took to sanitize party primaries, even though the ruling party turned out to be the leading culprit in electoral chicanery and the imposition of candidates. Luckily for them, for some inexplicable reasons such as the need to reduce cases in courts, the judiciary was arm twisted to allow for party supremacy in which a party’s nomination needn’t be controverted. Nigerians are however aware of the established canon that as administrative bodies, activities of political parties ought to be subjected to judicial review. This is more so as the Electoral Act had stipulated what must be done or not done to attain credible primaries. In the end, the APC subverted such guidelines only to return to the inglorious past in which a party can elect flag bearers from among party members who did not take part in the primaries and as such could not be described as aspirants. Based on the trend, can we pretend that we are on the way to free and fair elections?

In a democracy, it is the victorious party in an election that forms government; which makes the ruling party to be powerful. In Nigeria, they are not only powerful, they act quite often with impunity. The Goodluck Jonathan-led PDP government had attempted in its days in office to appoint politically tainted persons into the Electoral Commission that is world-wide known as non-partisan. Such nominees were however dropped as a result of public outcry, but the APC did not take cognizance of public outcry. So, with the recent appointment of suspected party loyalists into INEC that is supposed to be an impartial umpire, the public could not have been unaware that the objective was to use such officials to rig the 2023 general elections. This became yet another evidence that the ruling party had lost self confidence that it could win a free and fair contest. Put differently, the APC has inadvertently exposed its fear that it is at the verge of losing public support having failed to perform to public expectation. This has made the ruling party to be a suspect in every policy it enunciates towards the polls – a good example being the new naira programme.

But perhaps the best example of the dilemma of a ruling party on the eve election manifests in the unusual hostility of APC’s leading members towards President Muhammadu Buhari who was himself elected into office through the party’s banner. The severity of the attacks on Buhari’s new naira programme notwithstanding, Nigerians know that the president is the only APC member on ground today who believes in a free, fair and credible contest next Saturday. All others are locked up in schemes to gain political leverage and foreclose a level playing ground for the coming elections. Many Nigerians are persuaded that those engaged in court cases to stop the president’s plan are not doing so to alleviate public suffering as they claim, rather the goal is to buy votes – a popular method by which many elections were ‘won’ in Nigeria. Painfully, the Nigerian elites are grandstanding and eloquently displaying knowledge every evening on national television on the subject of the rule of law. Those media ‘shows’ are redundant because they have not changed the suffering of the people. If only the poor among us can get the N200 Buhari canvassed, the situation would drastically improve.

The on-going debate on the rule of law appears to have successfully diverted attention from the growing political violence in Lagos and some other cities in Nigeria. A few days ago, Usman Alkali Baba, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) did what his predecessors used to do close to elections. He rolled out law enforcement arrangements designed to curtail violence. He even listed all the newly procured modern arms and other facilities to upgrade the police. We must tell him and quickly too that the reading of such riot acts is not new and that we remain scared by daily reports of political attacks about which the police are usually silent. In Lagos, there was the report of a local leader in a community aided by another person described as SSG who allegedly summoned and threatened citizens with eviction if they failed to vote for a particular party. The promise by the police to organize what was described as a forensic analysis of the report is yet to see the light of day.

The week before, members of a political party that held a well-advertised rally at the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos were crudely attacked. Where was the police? If half of the people are attacked and scared away from voting which voters would the police guard on voting day with its advertised modern facilities and what evidence is there that the police are not unwittingly supporting one set of politicians against another? If so, what is all the fuss about some jaundiced rule of law principles? Somebody should help us tell our elites that as fundamental as the rule of law is, they are able to partake in the television see debates on it because it is Banks and not the Supreme Court that frustrated citizens attacked. Another well-meaning speaker should tell them that continued suffering of Nigerians cannot stop illegal contraptions such as the Interim National Government and Military rule that we all seem to deprecate

February 19, 2023

February 19, 2023 0 comments

Headlines Opinion

Buhari’s Infrastructural Development: At What Cost and Whose Expense?

by Leading Reporters February 19, 2023

written by Leading Reporters

Nigeria has suffered perennial infrastructural deficiency. From bad road to a near comatose rail transport system. Former President Goodluck Jonathan started what looked like a revolution in the rail sector. When President Muhammadu Buhari took over the mantle of leadership in 2015, He placed priority on infrastructural development, with a special interest in the railway, airport and road sectors. Under his administration, the transport sector (Road, rail and airport) gulped more loans than every other sector and every other government since the advent of the current democratic experience.

There are currently ongoing road projects across many parts of Nigeria. There is as well the 2nd Niger Bridge within the South East axis. There are massive road constructions within the Southern and Northern axis in Nigeria. As beautiful as all these seem, the question Nigerians have failed to ask is the cost of borrowing to fund these projects. Are these loans worthwhile? Are they deployed for the same purpose for which they borrowed? What are the terms and conditions of these loans? What are the sovereign collateral and guarantees? Are the projects for which they were borrowed feasible to bring enough returns to repay these loans? What are the qualities and life spans of these infrastructures that we are obtaining loans for? What effect do these untamed loans have on the economy at least within the medium and long terms? These are questions every patriotic Nigeria should genuinely ask.

Unlike under previous governments when construction giant like Julius Berger was majorly patronized by the Federal Government, China construction companies are currently dominating construction projects in Nigeria – from rail to road, from airport to other infrastructures. The reason for this shift is not far-fetched. Most of the funding for these infrastructures is a “China Loan”. China would not avail of a loan that would benefit other construction companies. Thus, Chinese Government-owned companies are having a field day in the construction sector in Nigeria.

President Buhari is currently the Nigeria President with the highest loan-take. While many praise him for several infrastructural projects across Nigeria, others hold the view that the president’s penchant for loans may plunge Nigeria into collecting loans that may never easily be paid back. China’s loan largesse is not limited to Nigeria. Report has it that so many other countries have stretched to China for loans, nay, for more loans. Loans are collected with collateral and other forms of securities and guarantees. Nigerians see roads and other infrastructures, but most Nigerians do not know the terms under which those loans were given to Nigeria.

President Buhari APC-led government does not seem to understand jack about wealth creation or how the abundant human and natural resources Nigeria has been endowed with could be optimized for national growth and development. The floral and faunas, the enchanting landscapes and rocks in the North Central region, the green allures of the South-South lands that stretch from land to sea, including the bodies of water that dot up that region, the historical monuments that could create research and historical tourism among countless other touristic elements lay waste without any efforts at exploring and exploiting them as major revenue earner. What about the arable land that stretches from North to South? Despite claims of food sufficiency, Nigeria still imports most of the food it consumes. Where locally-made foods are available, the prices tower higher than the reach of an average Nigerian. Truly, things have fallen apart and all thanks to clueless leadership that have continued to plague Nigeria since her independence.

President Muhammadu Buhari is an expert in negotiating and collecting loans. His advisers seem to always urge him on. Former Minister of Transport, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi stood out as one of President Buhari’s ministers who saw China loan as the be-all and did not seem to remember that loans are loans and are repayable. President Buhari believes the only way he could out-perform his predecessors is by collecting more and more loans for infrastructures. Today in APC, infrastructural development have become a campaign slogan. They tell Nigeria to embrace roads, and rails that have been built for them. They however fail to tell Nigerians that their future have been sold for loans.

One of the sectors that has engulfed many loans is the railway facility. Amaechi has severally and shamelessly portrayed the inevitability of loans for more rail tracks, including running a rail track from Nigeria to the Republic of Niger at no cost to the government and the people of the Republic of Niger. But any right-thinking Nigeria knows that the rail sector is not viable enough to repay the massive loan that has so far been obtained from China. I do not think that the proceeds from rail transport will ever be enough to run the overhead costs, let alone repay the loans collected to build them.

Only time will tell the damage these suspicious loans have dealt to the economy of Nigeria. Only time may prove that these loans and the arrangement behind them were laden with corruption, and manipulation for purpose of self-aggrandizement. Some of these loans were taken to be stolen. Time will tell.

But do these loans have a long-term effect on the collective fortune of Nigeria and Nigerians? It does. A disastrous effect. Creative leaders are not those who resort to loans to bridge infrastructural deficiencies. But they are people who optimize resources for growth and development. Creative leadership provides an enabling environment that attracts the private sector to take infrastructural development. What President Muhammadu Buhari, his aides and ministers have succeeded in doing in the name of infrastructural development is simply mortgaging the future of Nigerians, including an unborn generation. I am not enthused by several roads, rails and bridges built with Chinese loans, I am rather worried that Nigerians will pay dearly for the greed of a few who sold out this country by collecting loans for which their repayments do not look feasible. …. To be continued.

Light I. Shedrack is a communication strategist, public issues analyst and an SME ideation specialist. He writes from Abuja and can be reached via lightsheddie26@gmail.com

February 19, 2023 0 comments

Leading Reporters Bank Workers to Begin Strike On Monday

Headlines

Breaking: Bank Workers to Begin Strike On Monday if….

by Folarin Kehinde February 19, 2023

written by Folarin Kehinde

Following the worsening challenges from accessing the new naira notes, Bank Workers are set to begin a strike on Monday.

The industrial action, The Nation learnt, is owing to attacks on bank workers by depositors of the old N,1000, N500 and N200 notes.

The Association of Senior Staff of Banks Insurance and Financial Institution (ASSBIFI) directed bankers to stay away in any State where banks are attacked by depositors owing to cash scarcity.

The action will continue daily until normalcy is restored, according to the President of the association, Comrade Olusoji Oluwole.

The directive was contained in a statement dated February 17, 2023 with reference number ANS/WR/JA/OP/5018 titled “Stay at home order” and to all units president and secretaries.

It states in part: “The National Secretariat has been inundated with reports of threats and attacks on fives and properties of members and bank branches, and subsequently has been on the field to monitor and confirm the reports.

“We issued wamings and appeals fo government to provide security measure for the safety of lives and properties of our members within and around the bank premises but regrettably the attacks have continued without any form of security for the safety of our members, and the recent being the attack today, Friday 17th February 2023 on one bank branch at Epe. Lagos State.

“We cannot leave the lives and properties of our members exposed to obvious danger.

“Consequently, all members should today immediately stay away from work in any state where bank branches are attacked.

“This is fo continue every day until . normalcy is restored.

“Please note, you will be availed further directives as events develop”.

February 19, 2023 0 comments

Headlines

President Buhari has extended the validity of the old N200 notes till April 10, 2023.

by Leading Reporters February 16, 2023

written by Leading Reporters

President Muhammadu Buhari orders CBN to release the old N200 note into circulation until April 10, 2023, when it will stop being legal tender. He says Nigerians should return all old N1,000 and N500 to the bank.

The president announced this in a national broadcast on Thursday Monday.

“I am addressing you as your democratically elected president to sympathise with you over the hardship being experienced as a result of the naira redesign policy.”

“To further ease the supply pressures particularly to our citizens, I have given approval to the CBN that the old N200 bank notes be released back into circulation and that it should also be allowed to circulate as legal tender with the new N200, N500, and N1000 banknotes for 60 days from February 10, 2023 to April 10 2023 when the old N200 notes ceases to be legal tender.”

“17. In line with Section 20(3) of the CBN Act 2007, all existing old N1000 and N500 notes remain redeemable at the CBN and designated points.
“Considering the health of our economy and the legacy we must bequeath to the next administration and future generations of Nigerians, I admonish every citizen to strive harder to make their deposits by taking advantage of the platforms and windows being provided by the CBN.”

Nigerians have been battling with the scarcity of new naira notes— a development that has led to queues at banking halls, and automated teller machine (ATM) points.

There have been protests in some parts of the country due to the scarcity of new naira notes.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had given a deadline of January 31 for the use of old naira notes — but it extended it to February 10.

On February 8, the supreme court temporarily restrained the federal government from banning the use of the old naira notes from February 10, 2023, pending the hearing of the matter on February 15.

Despite the court’s order, Emefiele insisted on the deadline.

The stance of the CBN governor has triggered confusion as filling stations, supermarkets, and other business owners have continued to reject the old naira notes.

On Wednesday, there were protests across the country as banks were destroyed while security operatives reportedly gunned down some persons in Edo State.

Among states were there was crisis are Oyo, Ondo, Kwara, Edo, Benue and Delta.

There are indications that the president would address the issue of the naira scarcity in his speech to Nigerians as against statements issued by his media team.

The president usually address the nation on occasions like Independence Day, Democracy Day, and a few others.

February 16, 2023 0 comments

Headlines

N5 Trillion Loot: NACAT vows to expose corrupt public officials despite alleged intimidation by DSS

by Leading Reporters January 21, 2023

written by Leading Reporters

An anti-corruption group, the Network Against Corruption and Trafficking (NACAT), has said its efforts to trace and recover over N5 Trillion diverted by corrupt public servants is being threatened by the interference of the Directorate of state security, DSS.

NACAT also warned that no government agencies has the power to stop it’s activities however called on the SSS to join the group and President Muhammadu Buhari to end the continuous looting of the country by corrupt public servants.

In a statement, the anti-corruption group said it is currently in court with top directors in Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, NDDC for refusal to furnish it with requests made under the FOIA.

“We have also concluded processes towards filing nine new court cases against top directors too in FERMA, Federal Ministries of Education, Defence, Digital Communication, Police Affairs and Agriculture, NBBRI as well as National Lottery Trust Fund and HYPADDEC, with the EFCC, ICPC, CCB and the supervising ministries as co-defendants. All these are being financed by various companies that our trustees work with.

“We have petitioned various permanent secretaries which includes one of those in the State House to the EFCC and ICPC. They have currently been invited by the EFCC and ICPC after our adoption of the petitions.

“We recall that we have also written a petition to the SSS to investigate an influential permanent secretary who invited us in what we suspect to be an inducement discussion, which we declined, after we requested for his CCB details under the FOIA, to confirm what we have in our investigations against him. Till date, we are yet to get a feedback on the petition from the SSS.”

According to the statement made available to Leadingreporters.com, the group said it has also dragged the SSS before the Federal High Court in Suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/85/2023 for infringement of their fundamental human rights.

Narrating their ordeal, the group said,

“On 13th January 2023, NACAT Director of Legal & Operations, Barrister Justice Ojefia was invited via call by the FCT Command of the SSS the same day. As a law abiding, he honoured the invitation in less than one hour. While at the command, one of the officials, Mr Etuk told him that our NGO is among those being profiled, to be sure that we do not use it to fund terrorism. After filling all the necessary forms and taking finger prints, including photocopies or all our NGO documents and his call to bar certificate, he left them, only to be told to come with his International Passport which he went with on 23rd January 2023.

“After making photocopies of it, the officer opened up to him that the National Security Adviser (NSA) wrote to them to investigate NACAT for writing letters to public office holders under the Freedom of Information Act, requesting for copies of their Code of Conduct Bureau Assets Declaration forms. Our legal director told them clearly that it is within our right and mandate as an NGO to write such letters to anyone paid by the tax payers, and that includes the SSS, which they affirmed.

“They requested that we furnish them all the letters we have written to public servants, EFCC, ICPC and CCB, an action our NGO Director of Legal vehemently kicked against. We had written last year to the SSS, EFCC, ICPC and CCB to collaborate with us of which only the EFCC and ICPC invited us for discussion and collaboration towards the fight against corruption and trafficking.

“Curiously, they directed that he come to their office with the Director of Investigation on 25th January. The Director of Investigation who is also a trustee of NACAT offered to appear the same 23rd, which he went. After waiting for hours to see the SSS officials with the legal director, they had to leave the command back to the office.

“Since then, the same command has been calling our office line and harassing the staff carrying out their duties to inform the trustees to appear before the command.

“NACAT believes that the Director General of the SSS, Yusuf Magaji Bichi is not aware of these actions of the FCT Command. This will not be the first time that the command will invite NGOs who investigated public office holders and are subtly threatened to back off such investigations.

“NACAT believes strongly that the NSA did not mandate the FCT command of the SSS to single out our NGO best known for investigating civil servants, for profiling, when we are not a terrorist group or committed economic sabotage or threat to national security.

“NACAT believes that some of those whom we have written to requesting for their CCB forms, out of fear of being exposed has seen a willing tool in the FCT Command, hoping to use them to silence us from following their trails. The public servants who have amassed illegal wealth are always afraid to go the the SSS headquarters as such matters are not entertained there.

“The SSS duties are clearly spelt out and it does not include meddling in civil matters, such as NGOs that are merely helping the government fight societal menace.

“There are over 1500 top civil servants on NACAT radar who have diverted over N5 trillion in the last eleven years using their companies and we will not stop until we fish them out, investigate and report them to the appropriate authorities or go to court if need be.”

NACAT said it will not be cowed, coerced, threatened, intimidated, blackmailed, compromised or called to order by anybody to stop requests under the FOIA or back off the investigation of corrupt public servants and send petitions to EFCC, ICPC and CCB, except Mr President decides otherwise.

“We are all joint owners of Nigeria working together to redeem the country from corrupt elements.

“The SSS should be reminded that a Chief Judge of the Federation, Justice Walter Onnoghen left his exalted position as Nigeria’s number 5 citizen after his expose by an NGO that he didn’t declare some particular bank accounts in his CCB form.

“NACAT calls on the SSS to join us and President Muhammadu Buhari who has consistently insisted that he has a mandate to fight corruption before he leaves office, instead of becoming pliable hands against the movement to leave a less corrupt free Nigeria for upcoming generations.”

January 21, 2023 0 comments

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